Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

A pro-Russian rebel leader in Ukraine’s Sloviansk says he is holding captive 4 OSCE observers.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Monday that it had lost contact with one of its monitoring teams in the Donetsk region.

The leader of pro-Moscow insurgents in the city of Slavyansk in eastern Ukraine confirmed Thursday that his forces had detained four observers from the European security body OSCE but would release them.
      

Turkey is deeply concerned over the “abduction” of four observers of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), including a Turkish citizen, by “unknown persons” near the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, the Foreign Ministry has stated.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says it has lost a contact with one of its monitoring teams in Ukraine.

Four monitors operating in the southeast of the country have not been accounted for since 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Monday, according to the BBC.

The observers performing a routine mission.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says Ukraine's presidential elections have gone in accordance with international norms and standards.

The OSCE election monitors noted that turnout was higher than expected (40%), but pointed out the closure of polling stations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions as serious violations.

COPENHAGEN - Roberto Battelli, special representative of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on South-East Europe, extended his condolences on Wednesday to the families of the flood victims in the Balkans and called on the international community to continue sending aid to the flood-hit citizens.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has called on Ukraine to release two Russian reporters who were detained on Sunday.

The OSCE's representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, has urged Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov to release the Russian reporters who were captured on Sunday, ITAR-TASS reported.

Foreign minister receives U.S. ambassador

BELGRADE -- U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby voiced confidence that Serbia will get a chance to do a great job during its forthcoming OSCE co-chairmanship.

BELGRADE - U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby voiced confidence in talks with Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic Wednesday that Serbia will get a chance to do a great job during its forthcoming OSCE co-chairmanship and that it will use the opportunity well.

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister without Portfolio in charge of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic said at a meeting with Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Peter Burkhard on Tuesday that OSCE plays a significant role in the process of building democracy in Serbia.